Armed and Dangerous
by Celeste.J.Evans
Summary: A collab fic with SheWhoTangles and LittleLizzieZenta about what happens when you mess with the Castle-Gods. A mystery befalls Castle and Beckett, what could it be telling them about their relationship. First chapter is Post Always aka Castle Fandom Coma but the rest is all post 4x02 Heroes and Villains .
1. Chapter 1

**Ladies and gentlemen I present to you - as promised - a brand new collaboration fic with _SheWhoTangles_ and _LittleLizzieZenta. _Before you even think about reading I need to tell you: This is very...AU. Like seriously. It's meant to be funand silly although after this particular chapter it turns...normal? You'll just have to wait and see I guess. Second, we're collaborating a little differently where we take turns writing a chapter. I wrote this particular chapter but it'll all be collected here so when reviewing I just ask that you give credit where credit is due (I'll tell you who wrote each chapter). Other than that... there isn't much else to say. Enjoy some silly in your life through this the Castle hiatus of a lifetime and please review when you're done to tell us what you think. **

**Oh and before I forget, don't forget to enter my writing contest going until the end of may. If you go to my profile, it'll be the story called "Spring Writing Contest" so look there for more details.**

***A/N EDIT 05/14/12: I edited the chapter because you guys know that I'm infamous for not editing well so if you find any more mistakes just send me a PM***

**Enjoy 3**

* * *

It had been a week, sigh, a whole week since she'd watched her favorite couple finally walk hand in hand into the great beyond – and boy was she giddy. She'd watched the Castle "Viewing Party" that a group of teenage girls had posted and though she was about ten years their senior, she couldn't help feeling like their reactions were right on the spot leading her to the only logical conclusion that Castle and Beckett had the power to reduce people to their core fan girl; and she didn't regret a moment.

Across town, she stretched her fingers, cramped from a long day's work but her mind was only on one thing; it had been a week since the Castle Season Finale and she still thought about it every so often. Not that she was obsessed, she was just very happy to see her favorite characters find happiness at last – and in such a wonderful, lusty way – was that so wrong? Of course not.

Across the country and down a little, she had been lounging at her computer for about an hour now, having made and ate dinner and done most of her standard daily chores, stumbling across videos of Castle and Beckett kissing every so often from the most innocent of YouTube searches that had been corrupted by an onslaught of frantic searching just after the Castle Season Finale; that had been almost a week ago and her computer was still recovering. She wondered if she ever would.

Celeste re-watched the "Caskett Kiss" for the millionth time and it never got old but alas, she had to get to get to work on her University homework so she took the natural progression, re-watching Castle Season Four in the background while she did her job.

Zentara trolled Castle fan sites purely out of boredom as a way to relax after a hard day's work and she stumbled across a list of "Caskett Songs" for when all the songs made sense and she'll admit that she smiled just a bit. The concept was cute and they had already accumulated a rather large list so what was the harm in contributing her share with a few YouTube searches and a 'share button'?

JJ walked around the house in her favorite pajamas – an old pair of sweatpants and a "Caskett" t-shirt presented to her as a gag gift that she was never wear outside the house but enjoyed nonetheless – determined to be comfortable as she allowed her computer to rest for only a moment. But it wasn't long before she was back on it again, headed straight for the Facebook Fan Page of her favorite show. The first thing she noticed was a new post on the discussion board and so checked it out.

_Re-watching Season 4 and trying to think of what those situations would have been like had they been together. *sigh*_

Zentara smirked at reading the post but had to agree that it had crossed her mind; what would have happened if the two of them had gotten together before the season finale? So much would have changed – well that was a given.

JJ was the first to post a comment: _Been thinking about that as well. If it wasn't for that damn wall, those two would have been together a lot sooner._

So Celeste had to respond to the comment on her post: _I was just watching the end of Heroes and Villains; wouldn't it have been so cute if the two of them had kissed instead of their counterparts?_

Zentara: _Agreed, but you can't deny that the way it happened in the Season finale was epic. I bow to the great Andrew Marlowe lol._

JJ:_ All hail the king and queen MilMar :P God that was a good finale, I'm just saying it could have happened sooner._

Celeste: _Well if some fans had gotten their way, the two of them would have gotten together after the pilot_.

JJ: _You disagree?_

Zentara:_ I think those hopeless romantics know nothing about good story telling._

Celeste:_ I think they needed this time to truly get to know each other before they dove into it together (lol see what I did there?) so I'm glad they did it the way they did. Admittedly though, the pacing was a little weird in the middle. And I mean, after Heroes and Villains it would have been nice to have at least a _little_ bit of a Caskett-y moment right?_

Zentara: _I agree._

JJ:_ Me too._

Celeste:_ Now if only we had a time machine and tickets to the Castle set so we could straighten out those writers…_

MEANWHILE,

Herbert sat at his desk at technical support, twiddling his thumbs and pretending that he wasn't chatting on some soft porn site. God he hated his job; it was literally to sit there and make sure nothing happened to the mainframe. With a coffee cup in one hand, and furiously typing fingers with the other, Herbert didn't really have time to hear his boss coming up behind him until he was standing over his shoulder, spooking poor Herbert so hard that he spilled his coffee…all over the mainframe.

Surges of electricity sparkled and cracked, igniting the room with light and crossing wires that ought never to be crossed. This could get ugly.

At the moment of the surge, three girls were chatting about their favorite television show when suddenly electricity shot through their computers, rendering them unconscious and left to dream about their favorite couple and what might be.

* * *

Celeste was the first to wake up and she jolted the others awake with her screams. Coming into consciousness, JJ and Zentara felt the cold, dirt and grime beneath them and the smell of urine and old booze filled their nostrils, bringing them crashing down to reality. Glancing over at Celeste, they caught sight of a man in tattered brown coat and black toque barely keeping a balding head of hair concealed, scrambling away as though he'd been scolded. Apparently, he thought Celeste had been dead and was endeavoring to relieve her of any valuables but now he was running down the alley as though the dead had risen from their grave.

Wait, alley?

The three of them looked around to find themselves indeed in an alley. "Who are you?" They asked in unison. "Celeste." "Zentara" "Someone" they answered, looking to JJ in confusion before she rolled her eyes.

"I'm JJ. Where are we and how did we get here?" She snapped.

"Well…" Celeste looked around "we're in an alley. And it doesn't look like home to me." She crawled to her feet, heading for the light at the end of the alley but was pulled back by Zentara shaking her head with frantic, wild eyes.

"You can't just walk out there; we don't know where we are."

"And how are we supposed to figure it out if we don't do a little investigative work?" She pulled her sleeve away from the woman's grasp and stepped into the sunlight, the cool air brushing over her. She was brought out of her revere, however, by a series of honking horns and slamming breaks that pulled her attention to the street around her. She felt the two other girls come up behind her, pressed into her back by the sudden crowds of people surrounding them with the occasional pinch or shove in the wrong direction. Well they weren't in Kansas anymore; JJ would have recognized her own home town – so where were they?

"New York City." Zentara mumbled, bringing the girl's attention to the sign above the subway to their left – the source of the travelling crowds – New York City.

"How the hell did we get to New York City? What the hell kind of prank is this?" Celeste closed her eyes to JJ yelling profusely in her ear but she held back the urge to calm her down.

"My best guess is that it's a pretty expensive prank so why don't we just try and figure out how to get back home." Reluctantly the girls agreed stepping away from the subway entrance in order to avoid being trampled even more as a herd of travelers came barreling up the stairs. "Alright first we need to"

"I'm glad you agreed to come, Beckett, I just needed to get out of the house for a little bit." The trio froze in the middle of the New York street as a couple brushed past them, smiling and linking arms, completely content with each other. All thoughts of irritation fled them as a single thought entered their minds: 'no way'.

"Guys are we…" JJ couldn't even finish her sentence.

"On the set of 'Castle'? I think so." Zentara finished, peering over Celeste's shoulder to watch the pair walk down the street and around the corner.

"Yeah, well it wasn't like I was really doing anything." They heard Beckett snort and were immediately enticed to follow.

"But they won't be filming the new Season now." Celeste mumbled, trailing slightly behind the pack, still keeping pace.

"Well what if it's July and we've been-"

"What, JJ; we've been unconscious for two months?"

The woman jumped but maintained her composure. "Well do you have a better idea?"

"Yeah; let's just follow them and find out."

JJ scoffed "that's your answer to everything isn't it oh wise leader?"

"Guys, seriously." Zentara scolded "can we focus please?"

"Sorry." They mumbled simultaneously but avoided eye contact as they rushed to catch up with the dynamic duo.

They caught them entering a small café just down the block, Castle holding the door open for his smiling detective but what the onlookers expected to be an intimate brush past her boyfriend turned into Beckett shyly ducking her head and brushing against the glass door instead. Okay, odd but fine; everyone figured Beckett wouldn't be too big on the PDA. Exchanging glances, they followed behind the pair, keeping to the side and as inconspicuous as possible for three women standing in a coffee shop staring at a couple who were chatting in a friendly manner. Celeste narrowed her eyes but didn't say anything, listening intently to the conversation.

"I just needed a break from the house you know?" Beckett nodded at her partner "Alexis is still stressing out because she hasn't received her acceptance letter and she's now picking out all new courses and I don't think she's quite forgiven me for butting in. It's just hard you know?"

"Yeah well," Beckett looked ahead at the menu above even though she'd had it memorized three years ago "no matter how many times the truth stares you in the face it's still hard to accept change. She'll get over it eventually and one day you'll be able to let her go."

Castle spoke, completely oblivious to the double meaning of her words "well until then I'm going to need to make my coffee extra strong if I'm going to survive my late night writing stints."

"But I thought…" she paused, pushing the residual fear and hurt to the back of her mind "you just released the third Nikki Heat, do you really start writing now?"

"No," he shook his head "but after our most recent case I wanted to take a look at the superheroes of my past; maybe brush a few old characters off so I have something to work with when Nikki Heat comes to an end."

The air grew thick and still despite the bustling crowd around them. "You're ending Nikki Heat?" She hadn't meant for her voice to sound so vulnerable but there was no taking it back.

"It was only a four book deal so this book will be the last one."

She lowered her eyes. "Oh."

"But Kate," she looked up at him expectantly "I will do everything I can to keep telling your story."

"It's not my story anymore." Now it was Castle's turn to look at Beckett with too much hope in his eyes; she hesitated with the intensity of his gaze "it's everyone's; the boys at the precinct, Montgomery… even Gates."

"Oh Gates," he grumbled; he forgot that he'd have to replace the Captain just like they had "well no matter, I'll win her over, just wait."

She almost laughed at his determined, juvenile expression. "Well all of your little stunts this last case certainly won't help your cause."

"What stunts?" he gaped at her, knowing exactly what she was talking about.

"Your crazy theories may work on us but Gates likes facts and evidence; superheroes are not her favorite people." They turned to the back of the line on instinct when they heard a woman gasp but they found no one and so returned to their conversation.

"If I can charm you with my crazy theories, I can charm the Iron Gates." That wasn't a blush or a smile on Kate Beckett's face; she just had a rash…right.

"Who says you've charmed me?" She bit the inside of her cheek to keep that smile from growing even wider.

He shrugged matter-of-factly "because you're letting me buy you coffee."

"Yeah well, I need my caffeine fix."

"Yeah that's it."

As they exited the shop with their matching coffee's in hand, Castle once again held the door open for his lady fair only to find another person entering the opposite way, pressing Beckett against his side until she lost her balance and fell into his arms; literally. He reached his arms around her waist and shoulder to steady her when he realized that she was going to trip and her arms had become trapped at his chest, pressing herself further into him. Oh yeah, that look in her eyes were definitely fear, excitement and kiss-vibe; but which one to respond to. Their breath was in sync, pounding sporadically against the fall wind and their own twittering hearts. Oh yeah, Beckett was definitely giving off kiss-vibe…an expression which shifted to annoyance when she heard her phone blaring from her pocket and she knew in an instant that it was one of the boys calling her to tell her about a body. God, even over the phone they were cock-blocking. Still standing in his arms – no reason to move when she was comfortable – she pulled her phone and straightened, donning a casual but confident tone that was definitely not hers. "Beckett." She waited a few moments before nodding and humming in response, glancing up at Castle with no expression other than "work-mode" before she told them she would be right there and slipped the phone back into her pocket. "Come on Castle, we've got a body just down the block; you in?"

"Well I'm here anyways I may as well help you solve a murder."

"In your dreams."

"Actually in my dreams you…." But for once, he thought better of it "do you really want me to finish that sentence?"

She shook her head. "Maybe one day." She mumbled just loud enough for him to hear before sliding out of his embrace and walking down the street.


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright my sapplings, here is chapter 2 of Armed and Dangerous read for your enjoyment; this particular chapter was written by LittleLizzieZenta so go check her out and give her props. It's a little short but it's enough to get you going until the next chapter.**

**Oh and before I forget, don't forget to enter my writing contest. It's been extended to the end of June so please go and check it out. If you go to my profile, it'll be the story called "Spring Writing Contest" so look there for more details.**

**Enjoy 3**

* * *

Beckett had been walking down the street for a few seconds before she realized that Castle wasn't by her side. She turned to find him with a dazed expression on his face. She couldn't help the small smile that graced her lips. It was just so _easy _to trip him up.

"Castle, you coming or what?"

The familiar question helped Castle to snap out of it. But not before a thoughtful expression crossed his face, followed by a satisfied smirk.

That smirk worried her. What was going on in that overactive imagination of his?

To her surprise, Castle didn't say a word. He merely fell in step beside her and allowed the luxury of silence as they made their way to the crime scene.

Silence that was broken by Beckett's startled gasp once they laid their eyes on the body.

At a glance, Beckett could tell that the victim was a woman, in fairly good shape and with long brown hair. In those respects she wasn't much different from many others that Beckett had seen over the years. Except this one had sunflowers over her eyes. And red rose petals dotting her clothed form.

Castle turned wide eyes to her. "At least this time I have an air-tight alibi," he whispered in her ear.

Beckett fought the shiver that raced through her body at the brush of his lips against her ear. Irritated that Castle could distract her at this crucial moment of the case, the detective rolled her eyes and moved in to get a closer look at the victim.

"So what have you got for us, Lanie?" Beckett asked, crouching down beside the M.E.

"Blunt force trauma to the head, neck, and chest," Lanie replied, gesturing to the deep bruises on the victim's neck and forehead and the blood soaking through the shirt directly over her chest. "I'd say the cause of death was the blow to the chest but I'll know more after I get her back to the lab. She also appears to have fallen from one of the balconies up there," the M.E. went on, indicating the building directly in front of them. "Judging by the severity of the wounds, I would say she fell from somewhere between the fifth and seventh floors."

"Most likely she was pushed," Beckett said. "Some sort of struggle that ended with our victim being pushed off the balcony. But why the sunflowers? And the roses?"

"Those rose petals are grand flora," Castle suddenly piped up.

Beckett immediately knew what he was getting at. "Coincidence," she insisted. "If Harrison Tisdale was going to have a copycat, it would have happened long before now."

"What if it was Harrison, out for revenge?" Castle theorized. "It would make a great story."

"Harrison still has years of his sentence to carry out," Beckett reminded him, "and there hasn't been a prison break." She turned her attention to Ryan and Esposito, both of whom had been patiently waiting while their lead detective gleaned her first impressions from crime scene. "Any witnesses?" she asked them.

"A guy who sleeps in this alley," Esposito said. "But he claims not to have seen anything. Said the body was already here."

"I don't know how much help he'll be," Ryan warned. "The guy seemed pretty out of it. Kept muttering something about people falling from the sky."

"Maybe he was thinking of our victim," Beckett speculated. "He could be lying to try to stay out of trouble. If the body dropped right in front of him it may have caused him to go into shock. Either way, let's bring him in."

"Already on it," Ryan assured her.

"Beckett, did you notice the shirt on the victim?" Castle asked.

Beckett shook her head. The writer must be desperate for ideas if he was seeing significance in a shirt. "It's just a shirt, Castle."

"I don't know," Castle said. "The front right corner here says 'C&B Forever.' What if it means something?"

"It's probably just some rock group we haven't heard of." Beckett rose to her feet. "Do we have an ID?"

"No wallet, cards or even cash," Esposito said. "CSU will dust for prints as soon as we figure out which balcony she fell from."

"Okay, looks like it's time to start knocking on some doors."

A few yards away, hidden in the shadows, a lone figure watched and waited. There was a plan in place and no one was going to be allowed to screw it up.

No one.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey look, it's Chapter Three of Armed and Dangerous written by SheWhoTangles. Please give her some love and reviews because she's kind of nervous. Anyways, she also wanted me to talk to you guys and make sure you know that we've gone back in time for this story. We are post 4x02 ladies and gents and hopefully we made that clear but if we didn't...now you know.**

**It's my turn next to write a chapter and if life goes as planned - which it never does - I'll have it out right around the same times as Glass Slipper (if you haven't seen the new chapter please go and check it out after you read this chapter) which is a weekend thing. We'll see. Anyways, here's your new chapter. Please review, even if you hate it, we would love to hear from you. **

**Oh and before I forget, don't forget to enter my writing contest. It's been extended to the end of June so please go and check it out. If you go to my profile, it'll be the story called "Spring Writing Contest" so look there for more details.**

**Enjoy 3**

* * *

Castle fiddled with the espresso machine, his mind trapped back in time. What would be the odds of a coincidence like that? Though in retrospect, if he had to choose a favorite case he and Beckett had worked on, their first murder together would be it—with the exception of Castle's biggest unsolved mystery of all. His cup finally filled, Castle pondered his own silent case… the mystery of Beckett. He was hooked on solving her from the moment he accidentally bared a part of her she had hidden from the rest of the world that day in the interrogation room. She had challenged him to explain her. His words slipped through her shield, and the glimpse of her pain and her passion hooked him immediately.

"Castle?" Beckett's voice startled him by its unexpected closeness. Castle's hot coffee was suddenly propelled, involuntarily by his own hand, up the front of his shirt. "Castle! What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing," he said in his eight-year-old voice, desperately trying to hold the offensive, dripping cup away from him. "Ouch, ouch, ouch…" Hot liquid on his shirt was scalding the skin on his chest. Beckett grabbed some napkins off the counter next to her and began pressing them against his chest to absorb some of the hot coffee. Castle could feel her fingers through the warm, wet fabric. They both paused for a few suspended seconds. Beckett looked up at just the perfect moment for their eyes to lock, her fingertips resting on his dampened shirt… her lips parted… the kiss-vibe hanging tautly between them again.

"Am I interrupting something?" Gates voice cut through them both like a chainsaw, shooting them apart and resulting in Castle dumping more hot coffee down across his hand and shirt sleeve.

"No… sir. Of course not," answered Beckett with a voice deceivingly calm, despite the sensation of singed and tingling fingertips.

"If we are done with our coffee break," the derisive voice sliced the tensed air, "perhaps you could enlighten me on what you think of this case so far."

"Have no clue what is going on at the moment," answered Castle, though even he was unsure whether he was talking about the case or Beckett.

Beckett's 'We're working on it, sir' was gratefully interrupted by Ryan and Esposito via cell phone. Kate answered, thrilled to have a something to distract her from Gate's stone cold glare and an excuse to turn her blushing face away from both sets of eyes. Gates' gaze turned to irritated shards glaring at Castle as he tried to look dignified with coffee still dripping down his shirt.

"What, where?" Beckett said into the phone, shooting Castle a raised eyebrow and quizzical look. "Right. Yes, we're on our way." Kate clicked off her phone and grabbed the cup from Castle's hand with one hand, quickly refilling his hand with the rest of napkins she held. "We just got a lead at the hotel. Let's go."

Castle followed Beckett out the door hopeless dabbing at his wet shirt with the napkins, and the glare of Iron Gates burrowing through his back. He may have helped to solve their most recent vigilante case but he was still on the outs with her – and it was starting to irritate him.

They arrived at the hotel lobby with Castle still tugging at his sportscoat to cover his coffee-spotted shirt. Pouting, he still didn't understand why they couldn't swing by his place for a clean shirt. A few seconds later, Castle's attention was finally righted as the hotel receptionist speaking to Beckett handed her a note with both of their names, _Castle and Beckett_, written on the outside. Already dusted for prints by the boys, Beckett gently took the note with gloved hands and carefully opened it. Castle breathed in Beckett's scent as he leaned in closely to look over her shoulder at the words. Ryan and Esposito leaned over the two of them, humming in curiosity as Beckett unfolded the message.

_Remember this place?_

Confused, Castle and Beckett look around and slowly realize that this is the hotel where they first met. _The very place that Castle was thinking of before Kate startled him back at the precinct._ Castle starts to speak and Beckett raises her hand, motioning him to stop speaking.

"It's just a-"

"Don't say coincidence." He whined

"Stalker," she shrugged seriously.

"Really?"

Beckett rolls her eyes at him. "No; it's obviously _a __coincidence_, Castle. We just need to figure out the significance of all this to our case." Beckett had her phone out and dialed before Castle realized she was calling someone. "Lanie, any info on our victim yet? …ok. Good. We're heading back there now." She hung up and nodded to her boys "guys, tie up here. We're heading back to see what Lanie has."

They arrived at the morgue in no time. "…so you're telling us you have no idea of…" Lanie interrupted Castle with 'the look' and he closed his mouth afraid to speak or be sent out of the room again.

"She had no ID on her, as you know. Nothing popped in CODIS and there are no identifying marks on her at all. What I do know is she fell from the top of that hotel building, _but_ it wasn't the fall that killed her. Someone went out to that alley after she was pushed off and then beat her to death with something rectangular; and whatever it was, it was heavy enough to leave marks.

Castle tried to interject a hypothesis, but this time Beckett shot him down with one of her stifling looks as soon as he said the word 'book'. Castle's puppy dog expression at the 'close your mouth, Castle' visual slap from both girls almost had Lanie giggling but she turned quickly, attempting to hide her expression from Castle and knocking down one of her black lights from the counter. She managed to catch the expensive equipment, accidentally turning it on in the process, and grazed the light across the hand of Jane Doe. Neon squiggles flashed before their eyes. They all looked at each other startled.

In slow motion, the three heads moved in closer like children surrounding a treasure found on the beach. Glowing like a ghostly warning from their past, the duo saw something written in invisible ink on the woman's hand. Lanie turned the victim's hand slowly as Castle and Beckett read the address out loud together, finishing the last of the address looking at each other before Lanie even finished turning the victim's hand to read the rest of it.

"How did you know what it said?" She asked the duo.

But they didn't speak out loud; they didn't have to. The emotion and pain in Castle's eyes, said it all.

* * *

**Ba-dun dun dun... what does the address say? Any guesses?**


	4. Chapter 4

**It is completely my fault that this chapter took so long, guys. I apologize from the bottom of my heart. I had exams and then family stuff and then half of the people at work were sick so I was working over-time and it was just generally messy. But it's up and you can all breathe easy. And review. Please.**

**Speaking of which, I posted a new chapter of Glass Slipper last night so that's available for you now. Also, I just posted the beginning of my summer alphabet drabble series but this time we're using characters from the show Once Upon A Time so if you like that show you should check it out on my page. **

**Well I guess that's all. For my fellow Canadians, happy Canada Day, for my American readers, happy almost Independence Day. For my international readers, hi!**

**And as always, you can follow me on twitter at **vatrask

**Enjoy 3**

* * *

They stood side-by-side frozen in place by sheer confusion as the world bustled around them. They were perfectly matched in form, hand casually at their sides, head tilted slightly to the left as though a better angle would help make better sense of things. It didn't; at all. They were still left standing there, having returned to the address written on their victim's hand only to find this…whatever this was.

A tree, on the edge of a playground wrapped in police tap that they didn't place there with two bullets that were being pulled out as they stood there, side-by-side frozen in place by sheer confusion. What the hell was this all about? The recognized the park as one they had come to for a case long ago involving a nanny, a dryer, and the things women will do for love. But it had nothing to do with bullets in trees and they had no idea what it could have to do with their Jane Doe keeping Lanie company.

With her head still tilted slightly to the left, she called out to Esposito who was already approaching her with his ever informative report. "Hey Espo, what d'you got?"

"Well Beckett," She offered him her aligned head for attention "there were two bullets in a tree surrounded by crime scene tap." And her head was tilted again; more in annoyance this time but he kept going, revealing the time evidence baggies he had in his two hands. "Unis just got here so they'll start canvassing and CSU will be by shortly to process this…." He looked back and blinked wildly "whatever this is. Are you sure this has to do with our case?"

She nodded "this address was on the Vic's hand and this is way too freaky to be unrelated. What's that?" She indicated the bags.

"Ah yes," he held them up in true Vanna White fashion "Thing One and Thing Two were extracted from the tree with words carved in the sides of them. 'Target' and 'Range'. We just got started with canvassing but so far no one is reporting the sound of gunshots any time in the last few hours. Judging by the ridiculous amount of scratch marks on the tree I'd say that someone carved a whole in the tree and just placed them in."

"I don't get it." Castle was still head-tilted and standing as he watched uniformed officers place crime-scene tape around the crime-scene tape just for good measure.

"Someone planted the bullets in a tree in order to throw us off whatever trail they've got, how hard is that to figure out?" Esposito shrugged at the distant voice of the writer who was normally so loud and excited and loud.

"I mean I don't get the significance of bullets in a tree. What kind of a message are they trying to send?"

"They could environmentalists." Ryan offered, suddenly appearing beside his partner.

"No," Beckett held her finger to her lips in thought, reminded instantly of Natalie Rhodes and quickly dropped her hand "both of the clues that we've been led to on this case have had to do with cases that Castle and I worked together. That can't be a coincidence."

"I still don't get it."

Esposito looked between them but finally shrugged at seeing them lost in thought. "Well while you two are trying to 'get it' Ryan and I will head back to the station and see if these two friends give us any information."

"Great," Beckett nodded "Castle and I'll canvass the playground; see if any moms or babysitters saw anything. Have unis cover the rest of the park." The two pairs parted ways and Castle and Beckett made their way down the path heading straight for the playground where the sound of children's laughter could be heard down the street. But it was fun, joyous laughter and not the kind that would keep neighbours up at night. It was a good kind of background noise for a sunny day and not one that was filled with bullet-riddled trees and murder mysteries that seemed vaguely too close to home for the dynamic duo. But it was still a pleasant sort of sound' one that caused Castle to suddenly pause in his tracks. "What, Castle?"

"I remember why this park was so familiar to me."

"Yeah, I know this was when we worked the nanny case."

"No, that's not it." He slowly turned towards her with an uneasily bright light in his eyes "this is where you first told me that you were a 'one and done' kind of girl; not one to jump into marriage."

She paled and then blushed and then did something in the middle, her eyes wide and awe-struck with just a little bit of embarrassed confusion. "You remember that? That was…like three years ago."

"Beckett" he shook his head "I'm a writer – specifically _your_ writer" no way was she going to deal with the notion of 'her writer' right now so she let it pass "it's my job to notice you and I remember everything that you say."

"You just don't listen to what I say." she smirked, much more at ease with their usual banter.

"I listen when appropriate." She scoffed so he changed the subject, wanting to catch her with a smile "So, any new candidates?"

"Candidates for what?" There she was, smiling, oblivious to his charms.

"Your 'one and done' idea." And there was the smile running down the street screaming 'I'm not ready for that question, I'm not ready for that question.' It was almost amusing.

Until her eyes suddenly lit up again with childhood excitement and his fun was over because they had to focus on the case now. "Shooting range."

"Wh-what?" Talk about bringing out the big guns to shoot him down.

"The two bullets said 'target' and 'range' I bet they're talking about a shooting range."

"Okay, I'm following you; but which shooting range? There have to be dozens not counting the unlicensed and specialty places; which one are we supposed to go to?"

"Well if it _is_ all about us then I suppose we should check out the one at the 12th first." Before he could say anything she grabbed his hand to tug him in the right direction and then suddenly began practically sprinting to her car without waiting for Castle, knowing that he would be behind her anyways.

"What about canvassing the playground?" He called, already well behind her; she was fast when she was determined.

"I'll call and have one of the unis do it."

He shook his head as he finally slid into the car as she turned the ignition "those guys take a lot of crap from you."

"I figure you guys have a lot in common." She said off-handedly as they pulled out onto the road.

"Yeah but I like it." He mumbled just loud enough that she had to bite her lip to halt the conversation before it went any further. That was a conversation for another day.

Right now they had a crazy killer to catch.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello darlings, I'm here to bring you a brand new chapter, written by LittleLizzieZentara. You'll notice this chapter is a little different so read on and PLEASE tell us what you think. **

**Alright let's see: I have a new Once Upon A Time fic published daily until the end of July called "Flower Child" so check that out. New Chapter of Glass Slipper was posted on Tuesday so go read and review. And LittleLizzieZentara has a new fic out called "Pheromone My Lovely" so go check that out on her channel (search her name).**

**We really appreciate the few of you who post reviews, they mean the world to us so please keep them coming. And to the rest of our readers, please tell us what you think, it can only help in the end to share your thoughts.**

**And as always, you can follow me on twitter at **vatrask

**Enjoy 3**

* * *

"Did Castle just say 'one and done?'" Zentara asked Celeste in an excited whisper.

"Shhhh! " Celeste glanced frantically over her shoulder. "Someone might hear us and then we'll never find out what happened to J.J."

Zentara slapped a hand over her mouth as if to trap the words inside.

The three of them had been so excited when they found the hotel that Celeste had recognized right away as being where Caskett had first met. Because Zentara had money in her jeans pocket when they were suddenly transported to New York, they were able to book a room for the night. They had only been there for a brief time when Celeste had mentioned being hungry, which had been immediately seconded by JJ. Zentara had gone down to the snack bar since she didn't have enough money left for them to eat at the upscale restaurant. The cost for the three of them to stay at the hotel had been almost as much as Zentara paid for a month's rent back home.

Holding a bag of sandwiches in one hand and a large drink with three straws sticking out in the other, Zentara had stepped out of the elevator only to be pushed back inside by a trembling and wide-eyed Celeste.

"What the-" Zentara cried only to be cut off by Celeste as the elevator doors closed.

"JJ…balcony…pushed…" Celeste gasped.

Zentara dropped the items in her hand, not even feeling the soft drink that splashed over her right shoe. She grasped Celeste by the shoulders, her gaze troubled but calm. Zentara had always been the type to be completely calm in a crisis, only to fall apart after things returned to normal. "What happened? Exactly?"

"I was in the bathroom when I heard JJ scream," Celeste said once she was able to speak in more than short bursts. She was still shaking but she was able to give Zentara the explanation in frantic whispers. "I ran out there but all I saw was that the door was open. I looked down the hallway but no one was there. But then I saw it in the mirror."

"Saw what?" Zentara asked impatiently.

"Part of the balcony had broken off," Celeste continued. "I didn't want to look. But I had to. And JJ-"

"What? JJ what?"

"I don't think she made it."

Zentara let out a horrified gasp. Thankfully the elevator doors opened to the lobby at that exact moment. Celeste rushed across the lobby and out the front doors, Zentara on her heels. She came to a sudden stop and Zentara, looking around for JJ rather than watching where she was going, slammed into her.

"Why…?"

"She's not here!" Celeste cried.

"What?"

"Come on, we've got to find her!"

"But where do we even start looking?"

Celeste made a quick sweep of their immediate surroundings, stopping when she saw a nearby ally. "There," she pointed. "If someone was trying to quickly get rid of a body, that's probably where they would do it."

That made sense to Zentara so she merely nodded and followed Celeste. The two were almost at the entrance to the ally when Celeste came to a sudden stop.

"It's Lanie," Celeste whispered as the M.E. crouched next to JJ's sprawled form.

"Does that mean that Caskett-?"

"Probably," Celeste answered. "Which means we'd better make sure they don't see us."

"But why?" Zentara wanted to know. "Aren't we witnesses? Or at least, aren't you?"

"We're in a fictional world," Celeste said. "We don't have identities here. I doubt our fingerprints are in their database. That would make us suspect. And if we told them the truth-"

Zentara shuddered. "We'd end up in a psych ward."

"If we're lucky."

A sliver of panic cracked through Zentara's calm. "So what do we do?"

"We follow them," Celeste said. "But from a distance. Don't you want the chance to watch a Caskett investigation live?"

"JJ just _died_." Zentara shook her head in disgust. "How can you be so callous?"

"You know Beckett won't rest until JJ gets justice," Celeste replied with a roll of her eyes, reminding Zentara a little of Beckett as she did. "We can just help behind the scenes."

"Help how?" Zentara asked. "We don't know anything!"

Celeste shrugged. "We just need to keep our eyes and ears open. We both know JJ better than Caskett does. At some point they might need some information that only we have."

"Why don't we just approach them directly?"

"Hello, psych ward?" Celeste reminded her.

"Oh. Yeah. That."

Zentara decided to follow Celeste's lead. Obviously she paid more attention to the mystery-solving aspect of their favorite show than Zentara did. Zentara tended to focus almost exclusively on the relationship development. To her the fun of the cases was watching how Caskett worked together to solve them. She rarely tried to figure out who the killer was; it was enough for her that Caskett would discover it.

They didn't have to wait too long before their favorite detective and writer appeared on the scene.

_Harrison Tisdale?_ Zentara mouthed when Castle mentioned the killer of his and Beckett's first case. She didn't want to risk even a whisper now that Castle and Beckett were only a few yards away from where they were hiding.

_Doubt it_, Celeste mouthed back.

_C&B a rock band_? Celeste said silently, rolling her eyes. Zentara put her hands over her mouth to hold back a laugh.

They quickly decided against following Castle and Beckett into the precinct; it would be too easy to be spotted at a police station. They didn't have long to wait before the detective and writer exited the building, a large coffee stain on Castle's shirt.

As they did at the precinct, Celeste and Zentara didn't bother to try to sneak into the morgue but waited quietly.

Zentara wasn't by nature visually observant, but there was something about the park that Castle and Beckett went to next that seemed strangely familiar. She let out a gasp when Beckett mentioned 'the nanny case,' the second case Castle and Beckett had worked together.

The question about Castle referring to Beckett's 'one and done' comment slipped out before Zentara even realized she'd said the words out loud. She was thankful that Celeste had reminded her before someone heard them.

But someone did hear. Someone who was not happy about this turn of events. Someone who was determined that nothing would get in the way of the plan. Someone who decided that there was now a serious problem that would have to be dealt with.

Soon.

* * *

"Why don't you just shoot something?"

Beckett looked over her shoulder to see Castle's gaze fixed on one of the hanging silhouettes. They had been searching the area for clues for over fifteen minutes but so far had come up empty. Finally out of desperation-and a need for a little humor to lighten her mood, something she would never admit to him-Beckett had asked if he had come up with any crazy theories yet. Instead of making her smile, however, his words had only managed to nudge her stress level up another notch.

"We're here to _work_, Castle," she reminded him. "Not so that you can re-live the _one _time you were able to take advantage of my underestimating you."

"I didn't say anything about me," Castle pointed out. "And there were _many _times I could have taken advantage, Beckett. I just chose not to."

"Name one," Beckett challenged.

"How about I show you, instead."

Beckett had forgotten just how fast Castle could move. She barely had time to draw a breath before his hands were on her shoulders and he was pulling her towards him.

He wouldn't.

Would he?

His lips were almost on hers when he suddenly moved his head so that his lips were by her right ear. "Now why don't you shoot something so that I can test my theory?"

Beckett quickly schooled her features into an unaffected mask. There was no way she was going to let Castle know he had gotten to her. The fact that her pulse was racing and that his hands were creating tingles in her shoulders was going to remain her little secret. Although she couldn't quite suppress the shiver that shot through her as his hot breath hit her ear.

When Castle stepped away from her a moment later, a knowing smirk was on his lips.

"Just tell me the theory, Castle," Beckett said, refusing to give him the satisfaction of admitting that his little demonstration had indeed proven his point.

"I was just thinking that maybe the clue is on one of the silhouettes."

Beckett couldn't deny that was a good theory, based on the odd places the clues had been placed thus far. And they certainly weren't getting anywhere with the regular method of searching.

"All right, Castle, you've talked me into it," Beckett said.

"I wonder what else I can talk you into," Castle's tone was contemplative.

"Nothing right now," Beckett snapped.

Castle's eyes widened at that. "Right now?" he choked out.

Beckett scowled. She was letting Castle get to her too much. She needed to focus on the case and not on her confusing feelings for her partner. Which would have been so much easier to do if the case didn't seem to be all _about_ them.

"Just shoot something, Castle."

She was surprised that Castle remained silent while he put on the goggles and ear protection. Although he did mutter, "Over three years shadowing you and I still don't own a gun" when she handed him her weapon.

Unlike the first time he had shot a silhouette target in front of her, Castle immediately got into the proper stance and fired. Instead of the normal small boom, there was a soft pinging sound.

"That sounded like-" Castle started.

"It hit something metal." Beckett finished his thought.

Together cop and writer walked over to the paper target. Beckett took it down from the hooks and turned it over. Glued across the back of the ten-ring, where Castle had shown Beckett his shooting skills all those years ago, was a gold metal plaque. Taped to the plague was a brochure for the Waldorf hotel.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey chicklets! I apologize for the delay my dears but here we are with a new chapter written by _SheWhoTangles. _Please send her some love and hugs. Next is my turn so look for a new chapter soon! And please review guys. We would really appreciate it.**

**And as always, you can follow me on twitter at **vatrask

**Enjoy 3**

* * *

Beckett and Castle spoke with anyone who might have seen their clue-leaving culprit entering the shooting range, but no unique names showed up on the log except for the custodial team for cleanup. The quick on-site investigation did little to make the Captain happy.

The officer manning the shooting range desk had been in mid-discussion with the angry custodial pair who were arguing about being pulled off their cleaning route and lunch by their supervisor over someone's complaints 'about something slippery on the floor creating a safety hazard on the range.' The officer heard the reference regarding a careful target aim turning into a horrible PR disaster and became annoyed that no one mentioned the problem to him before complaining to a higher up.

The officer had finally closed the range for his own overdue lunch when the pair showed up. The irritable officer tried his best as the team haphazardly waved their badges in their frantic, loud argument while the desk phone rang incessantly. The badges were finally in one of his hands and the phone receiver in the other as the words from the 12th Precinct's front desk demanded his immediate presence in the station lot, where his car and several others were reportedly demolished by a car and driver crashing through the fence. Immediately, the officer made a rushed phonecall to another to cover the Shooting Range desk letting the now waiting team in to do their work. The officer's eyes barely grazed the badges or faces of the team with the diligence he should have before passing the desk off to his rushed replacement. The distracted officer waved the custodians in through the range door, absently logging in the badge numbers and handing the badges to the arriving officer without verifying procedures. The bewildered replacement never actually saw the team before they went into the room.

Zero was the magic number for Castle and Beckett for this newest clue in the case at hand. Zero drunk cars crashing into zero station lots. Zero on the future of the Shooting Range officer's future career. Zero on finding anyone requesting any cleanup in the range area. It was a quick staff check that revealed the custodian badge numbers belonged to the night crew that hadn't started their shifts yet. The covering officer also had zero information to offer to explain the unreadable, shaky signatures on the sign-out sheet because he had been busy on the phone checking to see if his car was in the parking lot that zero people seemed know about. The discarded uniforms and badges were found in a garbage bag on the elevator. No fingerprints were left behind. Disgusted, the Captain waved them off to follow their next clue before closing the door to shout.

Beckett and Castle drove speechless to the Waldorf, each at a loss for how _two culprits_-not one-could have pulled off attaching the nameplate and hotel brochure to the target and most of all, at the coincidence of _where_ the clues were appearing. Entering the Waldorf hotel brought a wave of thoughts and memories to both investigators, ending the silent mind juggling they were experiencing on the drive over. Stepping through the front doors felt like stepping back in time, forcing them to pause in the lobby area feeling oddly dazed.

"Do you remember our first case here?" asked Beckett.

"I remember the barely-there red dress you wore…" his voice and focus trailing off at the thought of their undercover work at the charity ball. Beckett slapped his arm jokingly.

"May I remind you that _you_ picked that dress, _not me_."

"You wore it," he declared. "You never did tell me where you kept your badge." He mumbled at her softly with puppy dog eyes.

"And I'm still not going to tell you."

"Do you still have the dress," he asked with one eyebrow raised.

"Castle!" Beckett chastised, "We're working on a case." Castle gave her his patented writer pout and turned to look across the lobby at the front desk. Kate was happy to have his mind back on track, but her mind traveled to the sight of her red dress tucked carefully and safely in the back of her closet. It had miraculously survived her apartment explosion and was currently hanging with its still 'slightly smoked scent' safely secured in a garment bag snuggled up intimately against the jacket Castle gave her to put on after he broke down the door to 'save' her. The thought of the garments pressing their chests together brought an unexpected flush to her face.

"I still can't believe they called me the 'White Whale,'" Castle's expression shifted to his schoolboy pout.

"Feast your eyes ahead on the front desk, and let's see what we can catch in _our_ nets. Hopefully, we'll be more successful than your entourage of groupies were." Beckett said, already stepping toward the front desk where the desk clerk was looking at them with curiosity.

"Why, Detective Beckett, do I detect an air of jealously?" Castle's words had a boyish dare in them. Beckett turned on her heel quickly not realizing how fast he had come up next to her or how close he was to her until she stopped her turn.

"In your dreams, Castle."

"Hoping to catch a whale yourself, Detective?"

"To me you'll always be Jameson Rook, Castle." The words slipped out before she realized it.

"And to me," he said capturing her hand and drawing the back of it up to his lips in a princely fashion, "you will always be my Ms. Heat." Kate's eyes held his, her fingers on fire in his hand as his breath brushed across her skin as he was about to kiss the back of her hand.

"Excuse me," came a new voice next to them. Beckett quickly pulled her hand from Castle's with a surprised start. She was thrilled for the perfect interruption to whatever was happening. "Are you Richard Castle and Detective Beckett?"

"Why, yes. Have you heard of me?" asked Castle.

"No, I haven't," answered the rather bored desk clerk. Castle looked instantly deflated, and Beckett has to stifle a laugh. "But Melissa Talbot left this for the both of you at the front desk."

Beckett took the note from his hand with a 'thank you' and opened it with Castle looking over her shoulder. Soundlessly, they both read the '_Please come to my apartment when you get this. Melissa Talbot.' _Their eyes clicked and no words were needed as they immediately started out to Mrs. Talbot's apartment, but not without both of them experiencing a sense of déjà vu on the way.

Nearly at the apartment, Castle finally braved the words about the case Beckett was resisting. "Doesn't it seem odd that all these places we've been to are places we—_specifically you and me_—have in common?"

"It's just coincidence, Castle. You're reading things into the places that aren't there."

"I don't know about that. It seems that every place we've been has been someplace that…" he paused, sounding suddenly unsure of himself.

"That what?" Kate prompted firmly, looking Rick straight in the eye.

"That we've had a moment in." His words hung in the air suggesting far more. Castle's usual playfulness was replaced by something more serious, more suggestive, and not in a good way. What he was suggesting seemed too surreal, too stalker-like, too much to grasp about moments she hadn't even shared with Lanie. How could anyone know about the significance of these places beside the two of them, especially if Kate herself could barely admit the moments to herself? Her power for denial surfaced with a vengeance.

"Moment?" She countered aggressively, facing him eye to eye, arms folded, waiting, daring him to make this case about them.

His voice was soft, bordering on a whisper. "Don't any of the places spark an 'us' nerve with you? The first hotel, the park, the shooting range, and now the Waldorf?"

Beckett broke eye contact with an eye roll and perfectly timed spin to continue down the hall. "Now who's chasing elusive whales? It sounds like your imagination is working overtime, Mr. Castle. Let's talk to Melissa and see what light she can shed on our case." Kate hoped her voice held more confidence than her suspicions did. The Waldorf was bringing a number of emotions up for her at the moment. Believing in Castle's theory was just one more Castle-centered thought than Kate was ready to think about at the moment.


	7. Chapter 7

**Shh... I'm on vacation and technically I shouldn't be on the computer but I realized that I was a bad girl and didn't post my share of the story so the really long delay is all my fault but I am rectifying that right now. Look, a new chapter of Armed and Dangerous. And while you were waiting for this new chapter, LittleLizzieZentara and I have both written a few one-shots that are definitely worth checking out. Other than that, here you go. Hopefully we'll get better at this updating thing. Bon appetite.**

**And as always, you can follow me on twitter at **vatrask

**Enjoy 3**

* * *

They stood there. Together. Staring up from the foot of the staircase; the noise from the lobby lulling to a hum in both their ears and the world fell away. They fell with it, back to a time two years ago – a day they hadn't mentioned since then but now, it just seemed appropriate. "We almost broke up right here." He looked over at her, his mouth open, about to make a remark but he shut it when he saw her face. They hadn't been dating – a fact, back then, she had been adamant about – so technically they couldn't have broken up but that didn't stop either of them from thinking of their twisted partnership as a sort of relationship. And if it was one thing they knew happened in relationships, it was break up. She was still staring up at the staircase but she could feel his eyes on her, watching the way her lips tilted up in a sad smile at the memory of that day.

"I was just going off to write other books." Her smile fell and he regretted the light tone of his words instantly.

She whispered. "And I was going to let you."

He swallowed, willing himself not to speak his mind. But he just couldn't help himself – he had to know. "What would have happened if I had gotten the offer and left?"

For the first time in a long time, her smirk gave him ease and he found himself smiling just a little "would you have wanted to?"

He caught her glance from the corner of her eye and they held each other's gaze for a moment before his face grew into a crinkled smile as he said "touché detective." She smiled back at him.

They ascended the stairs together – well, he followed just a little behind her so they could both pretend he wasn't checking her out and she wasn't enjoying it – until they reached the right apartment door and they stood, smiling briefly at each other before Beckett raised her arm to knock. Only to find the door swinging open with the slightest touch, causing the pair in the doorway to gasp in shock.

Melissa Talbot's apartment was trashed. The furniture was flipped over, the stuffing pulled from three of the chairs, papers strewn everywhere. Beckett felt Castle's heart rate rise with her own as they looked around with concern, careful not to touch anything. She called out to Melissa hoping to hear any sign of her or her son but they heard no response except the rustling paper from the open third story window in the bedroom.

When it was obvious that no one was in the apartment, Beckett pulled out her phone and placed a call to Esposito. "Hey I'm at Melissa Talbot's apartment and it looks like there was a B&E and Melissa and her son are nowhere in sight." Pause "yeah I know he asked us to come over which is why I'm calling you" she rolled her eyes at Castle who smiled at her despite the strange tension still hanging in the air "I need you to send a CSU team over here and can you put a ping on Melissa's credit card so we can see if someone is using it? Yes, I'd like you to call Melissa Talbot before you do it and let me know if she answers." Pause "thank you Esposito for your cooperation." She was about to hang up when Castle startled her by waving his arms around indicating that he had more to say. "Oh wait Espo,"

She held the phone out to Castle, keeping her ear to the opposite side so she could hear properly. "How's the hunt for the people who planted the brochure in the shooting range?"

"So far all we know is that it had to be someone in uniform but we've yet to be able to determine who it is."

"How's Gates?" She asked through the phone.

"Dangerous." The detective warned with only the slightest hint of teasing. Great. "I'd take my time coming back to the precinct and only come back with a lead."

"Great; thanks." She muttered before she finally hung up. "Now we wait." She announced to Castle as she tapped the phone off and looked at her partner, suddenly noticing the close proximity to each other. She watched his eyes flicker between her eyes and his lips – damn, that man was using her own superpower against her – his breath heavy in the air between then, small as it was. She caught herself exploring his face; the lines under his eyes from sleepless nights and early mornings, the scruff around his chin, betraying his younger years of partying and bad boy ways that still turned her on. His oceanic eyes that would prompt any girl to get lost at sea; and his lips, full and dry and begging to be wetted. God she was hopeless.

Not that Castle was much better off. He was still lost in her eyes, hazel green and dark with unbridled lust, something he rarely admitted he saw in her. When she licked her lips while staring at his, he lost it. He had to kiss her – now.

They both jumped when the cell phone between them rang; torturously loud. Beckett jumped back as her eyes darted to the ground, her hands shaking as she flicked the 'answer' button, bringing the phone to her ear opposite Castle. It was just easier that way – for both of them. "Be-Beckett." She cleared her throat. "Hey Espo, what d'you got?" She placed her hand on her partner's bicep – his really nice bicep, she shook her head – to grab his attention now,, finally, back into 'detective mode'. "Okay thanks I'll let Castle know." She replaced the phone in her pocket for good measure, facing her partner once again, this time assured that no one would get lost in the space between them. "So Esposito called Melissa Talbot's cell but it was turned off. However, he checked her recent credit movement and someone just made a purchase using Melissa's card at a restaurant called 'Q3'"

She smirked when realization dawned on him "isn't that your dear old friend Maddie's restaurant?"

"Uh huh. And if I remember correctly, we met Maddie not long after we met Melissa Talbot."

"Well then we should definitely get over there."

"Not 'we' this time, Castle, 'me'." His face fell but she kept her smile "direct CSU and let me know if Melissa Talbot comes back. There's something fishy about this whole case."

She felt her heart skip a beat at the sight of his lopsided smile "You think?"

"And in the meantime, I'm going to reconnect with an old friend to see if she has any answers about our Jane Doe."


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello my darlings this is your new chapter (finally) from LittleLizzieZentara. You must understand how busy it is for three people to get together and write a chapter. We do apologize and we're doing the best we can but sometimes...life just gets in the way. Anyways...SEVEN DAYS UNTIL CASTLE AIRS IN NORTH AMERICA. Just saying... **

**And as always, you can follow me on twitter at **vatrask

**Enjoy 3**

* * *

Had Castle seen the flimsy excuse for him to stay behind for what it was?

The question gnawed at Kate as she drove over to the Q3.

She had ordered Castle to stay behind while she followed up a lead numerous times. But usually that was when he was safe at the precinct or she made him go home. Or even more rarely she would tell him to go with Ryan or Esposito.

But leave him alone at a crime scene, even if it wasn't where a murder had taken place?

This had to be a first.

And to have him stay behind so that he could 'direct' the CSU team?

Kate groaned. What had she been thinking?

That was the problem. She _hadn't_ been thinking. She had been close to panicking. If Esposito hadn't called her when he had….

Kate shook her head to dispel the image of lips touching, tasting, exploring….

Not that it worked. Obviously.

Right now almost any other lead would have been preferable to this.

Maddie was sure to say something embarrassing.

Like the very first words that came out of her mouth.

"Becks! Where's Rick? Home recovering from a wild night of helping you get started on those little Castle babies?"

"Maddie!" Kate hissed in much the same way she had when her old high school friend had first brought up the topic.

"What?" The blonde's face was a study in innocence. "He's not here to hear us. You can admit it now."

"There's nothing to admit, Maddie," Kate snapped.

Nothing that she wanted to clue Maddie in on, anyway.

"So you're really not hot for Castle?" Maddie shook her head in amazement. "Becks, what more do you want? The guy is rich, hot and really knows how to show a woman a good time."

What was Maddie implying? Had more gone on between them than Kate ever realized?

"So you're _really_ not into Castle?" Maddie pressed.

"Why?" Kate wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer.

"We were having a really good time before _you _interrupted us-"

"You were a suspect in a murder investigation!"

"Not so loud, Becks! Sheesh!" Maddie rolled her eyes in annoyance. "My point is that, if you're not interested, I'd really love to-"

"NO!" Kate's tone was close to a shout, something she didn't realize until a few restaurant patrons turned to see what the commotion was all about.

"Why not?"

Why wouldn't Maddie just let it go? The woman was beautiful, successful, and sensual without even trying. Men flocked to her; they always had, even when those 'men' were only high school boys.

Not that Kate was insecure about her own appeal, but-

"Because he's MINE."

Oh, no! Had she really said that?

The self-satisfied smile on Maddie's lips told Kate that she had.

"I mean," she continued hurriedly, "he's my partner, and we're in the middle of an investigation. He can't get distracted right now. I need his focus on me." No, that's not what she meant! "For the case. It seems to be focused on us, so…." So now she was believing Castle's theory?

Well, his theories did often have a grain of truth in them, even the most outlandish of them.

But no.

All of those things-the hotel, the park, the shooting range-had to be a coincidence.

Didn't they?

"You and Rick have been very popular with the staff tonight," Maddie said. Apparently she had decided to drop the issue of Kate's feelings for Castle. At least for the moment.

"What? Why?"

"Right in the middle of the lunch rush this blonde woman came here with this kid and handed our hostess two tickets to the Metropolitan Museum. She said that when you and Castle showed up to give them to you. The woman was totally freaked. Shirley, our hostess, said it was like it was a matter of life and death, or something. Considering your job, I knew it just might be."

"Maddie..."

"Don't worry, I told Shirley not to mention the 'life or death' part to anyone else," Maddie assured her. "If it was something like that, I knew you wouldn't want anyone else to know."

Kate had a feeling she knew who the woman was, but she had to ask. "Can you describe the woman?"

"Elegant, wealthy, and she wore this darling outfit I'd just seen in Bloomingdales last week," Maddie said.

"Anything else?"

"She had blonde hair, maybe shoulder length?" Maddie thought for a moment before adding, "She wasn't too tall or anything and I'd guess maybe a size eight, considering the size of the dress."

Kate bit back a smile. Maddie had always been a clothes horse. She was the one who had suggested that Kate spend her summer modeling back when they were both seventeen. They'd been the same size back then and Maddie had assumed that Kate would be able to keep the clothes and share them with her. She'd been wrong on both counts.

"And the kid?"

"Eight or nine, I don't know! You know me, Becks, I've never paid that much attention to kids."

That was certainly true. Maddie had thought she was crazy when she took that brief nanny job when she was sixteen. It turned out it was the mom who was crazy…but that was ancient history and irrelevant to the case.

"Did she order anything?" Kate asked next. She was fairly certain the woman was Melissa Talbot and the kid the woman's son, Zane. But she would feel better having some actual proof.

Maddie had no sooner left to go back to her office to check the lunch receipts when Kate's cell phone rang.

"Beckett, Melissa Talbot is here and she has some information you're going to want to hear," Castle said as soon as Kate answered.

"Is she all right?" Kate wanted to know.

"She's fine," Castle assured her. "Shaken up, but she and Zane are both fine."

"Okay, put her on," Kate said.

"Detective Beckett?"

"Castle said that you have some information for us?" Kate prompted.

"I was just getting ready to take Zane to the park when two women I assumed were police officers arrived," the woman said. "But as soon as I let them in they started acting strangely. They handed me an envelope and told me to take it to the Q3. When I demanded to see their identification the one that did most of the talking started yelling and threatened to tell my employer about everything that happened with my husband if I didn't leave for the restaurant right away. And so I did."

"Can you describe the women, Mrs. Talbot?"

"They both had medium brown hair and one was a few inches taller than the other. They were pretty average really, not heavy but not overly thin, or anything."

That could describe tens of thousands of people who lived in New York City, not to mention thousands more tourists that flocked to the city each year.

"Is there anything else?" Kate asked. "Tattoos, distinguishing scars?"

"Nothing," Melissa Talbot replied. "Although the taller, quieter one did mention something about honoring JJ's memory."

So now they had a nickname for the victim. It wasn't much, but it was something.

"All right, thank you for your help, Mrs. Talbot," Kate said. "Don't hesitate to call if you remember anything else."

"Of course," Mrs. Talbot said.

"Just sit tight, Castle," Kate told her partner. "I'll head over to get you after I'm done with Maddie."

Which would be all of another minute or two. Because now that she knew that the woman that had come to the Q3 had been Mrs. Talbot, there wasn't much more Maddie could do to help the investigation. But she did want to give her friend a description of the women Mrs. Talbot had mentioned, just in case they returned to the restaurant for some reason.

As much as Kate didn't like to admit it, they were just coming up with more and more questions.

And no closer to finding any of the answers.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey baby dolls, it's me again with another update. This time we have _SheWhoTangles_ at the plate, hitting this chapter out of the park. Next is my turn so wish me luck as we head into the the 7th inning and down the rabbit hole. Cheers!**

**And as always, you can follow me on twitter at **vatrask

**Enjoy 3**

* * *

Back at the precinct, Beckett stepped off the elevator deep in her own thoughts. The desks were clear of the guys, including Castle. Beckett took off her jacket and put it on the back of her chair. Coffee, she needed coffee to mull things over, refocus her head. A hot cup was one thing she could get a hold of since starting this case. Walking with her head down, her mind jostled with feelings and facts. On one side was the case, going nowhere fast with clues coming in at the pace of a lethargic snail. On the other side was her discussion with Maddie…did she, Kate Beckett, just declare territorial rights on Castle? Richard Castle? "Rick…" she said outloud to no one.

"Yes?" Castle answered. Kate looked up at him thoroughly startled, barely aware she had spoken his name aloud, never mind that he was there to hear her it do. All the guys were in the room, getting coffee. Esposito and Ryan hadn't been watching her walk into the room, but Castle had. He caught her expression on a unguarded moment.

"Ri-dic-ulous waste of time," Kate said trying to smooth over her slip by stretching out her first word. She went straight to the ready coffee pot keeping her back toward the guys as Espo starting running through the same info relayed to Kate by phone with Castle earlier. She turned with her filled coffee cup in hand forcing her 'detective mode' up front and center, attempting to lean back slighty against the counter to look business as usual. Her coffee cup was her private forcefield as her eyes met Castle's inquisitive gaze, the penetrating gaze he used on her that always left her feeling like he was seeing _into_her. Pointing her focus on her cup, Beckett attempted to continue, "My results…"

"Results?" Gates was suddenly at the door without warning. Kate hated it when the Captain just popped into the room that way. Beckett's relaxed stance altered instantly to standing at attention, while Castle's face wore an expression that suggested 'Iron Gates' had actually materialized in a puff of smoke in the doorway. Kate bit her tongue to keep from expressing any hint of amusement that might be interpreted, or misinterpreted, by the Captain. "All of you in my office now. I want to hear what, _if anything_, the four of you have turned up in this case."

They all reassembled in her office trying not to look like a batch of puppies being chastised for chewing up the master's newspaper. The door slammed with a sound that instantly increase the tension in the room as the sound of Gates' shoes crossed back through the room to her desk. Gates shot Castle her best 'Gate-glare' as she began to pass him in the room.

"You said four…"he rattled off with his nine-year-old voice, but the Captain's hand went up in it's _silent_ motion. Castle closed his mouth and his hand made a soundless key turning motion, tossing the key over his back. Ryan's head and shoulders did a sideway jerking motion to avoid being hit with the invisible key. Gates barely resisted an eyeroll and continued her march back behind her desk trying to ignore the comedy show in her office. They were a good team, including Castle, but she had no intention of telling _them_ that. Taking a standing position behind her desk, arms crossed at her chest, the Captain's stance implied more irritation with the team than usual when the four of them worked together on a case for more than 15 minutes without solving it.

"Well?" Gates demanded behind closed doors. "What do we have on the case, detectives?" Castle started to open his mouth first, but Gates' hand went up immediately reminding him of his key turning motion, and Castle sucked his semi-sound back in.

Esposito broke the hanging silence. "We've heard from several witnesses that our perps are female, have brown hair, and are of average builds and heights. No distinguishing marks or other details of any kind about their appearance. No one saw them come or go from any locations. Since the station incident, they've been seen at two scenes wearing police uniforms. So far they have been successful at avoiding any accidental appearances on any kind of security or surveillance cameras to date."

"It's like they're ghosts," Castle mumbled, but not soft enough for Gates to miss. Castle went back to silent attention giving.

"Wonderful," said Gates sarcastically. "Is there any new concrete information on our victim?"

"Yes," chimed in Beckett. "According to my follow up with Maddie where the last note was left for us, the two women made a reference to 'JJs memory' at the last scene. There is reason to suspect that JJ might be the name or possibly the nickname of our victim." Becket's final word seemed to hang in the air longer that it should have as Gates waited for more… more did not come.

Gates quietly sized up the team and the leads as the silence in the room grew. Castle started shuffling uncomfortably. "Mr. Castle, do you have any additional facts to introduce to this case?" asked Gates. Castle started to open his mouth, but the glare from Beckett made him close it again. He looked at Gates and motioned a soundless no at her.

"People," her voice stinging with harshness, "are you telling me that the only information we have been able to dig up in this crime is that our suspects are females with brown hair of average build and height with the ability to impersonate janitors and officers, complete with a wardrobe from _our precinct_, without leaving any trace evidence or useful witnesses?"

"Sir, with all due respect, we've only been on the case for a few hours. We'll find more leads soon," Becket stated non-defensively.

"Speaking of leads, Det. Beckett, what do you think of these clues being left behind?"

"We are already familiar with many of the places that have been included from previous cases. I'm hoping that will give us an advantage in putting the pieces together." Captain Gates raised an eyebrow.

"In what way are you familiar with the places?"

"They are all places where cases our team have investigated crimes at before." Esposito and Ryan's voices chimed in together in answer to her question. Gates glared back annoyed. This team, always holding back on her.

"You mean, specifically Beckett and Mr. Castle, don't you?" The group exchanged awkward glances. "I'm familiar with the cases the two of you have worked on together." Her looks bounced between the two of them now, gauging their reactions and watching for the weak link. "Seeing how the messages being left behind have been directed at the two of you, I think you need to conclude that the two of you are very much included in the crux of this mess. Mr. Castle, I'm amazed you didn't offer that suggestion yourself."

Castle swallowed and looked at Beckett. Kate ignored him already anticipating his boasting about it later. "We have been discussing the possibility that we are, indeed, more involved then just the receivers of clues left behind to toy with the police. Our discussion was interrupted by the arrival of the new clue when we separated to expand investigating from the hotel. All of us had just returned from following up when you called us in," Castle said, accidentally implying she was interrupting them. The captain raised her eyebrow, but let the implication slide. Gates liked Castle, but he was too reckless for her. Still, his wild card on the team seemed to bring out the best in Detective Beckett, and in their precinct's track record. Her eyes went to her star detective.

"Get on it then," she said watching Beckett's expression. "I want this case showing progress, or better yet, wrapped up before the entire precinct is a laughing stock."

"Yes sir," Beckett returned with a nod, joining the rest of the team without speaking to their special section of the hallway where they could speak outside of visual shot of Gates but see her coming up behind them.

"She's right," said Ryan. "We were just talking with Castle about how the clues keep pointing to places where you and Castle have worked on a case together.

Castle looked over at Beckett, expecting her to shoot him a steaming, angry look, but was pleasantly surprised. "I guess that means we get to look into our time together more closely then in order to discover the answers for this case." His voice had a touch of question to it, but Beckett surprised him again by not voicing an objection or writing off again that the two of them might actually be a deeper part of the case. Instead, Beckett smiled his favorite this-case-is-thickening smile and waved the tickets at him.

"You ready to follow me on our next clue into us then? I have tickets for our next in depth examination." Castle eyes glazed over for a few seconds, enjoying their own version of her question, and then Castle smiled and straightened his jacket.

"Just lead the way, Detective." Kate offered her arm to him, and Castle snaked his hand and arm in and around hers as they walked briskly together to the elevator. They separated and exchanged a smile just before the doors closed on them, leaving Esposito and Ryan to shake their heads both in disbelief and in agreement on an entirely different discussion Castle and Beckett had yet to hear from them.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten has arrived ladies and gentlemen and not a moment to soon. It is (finally) Castle Monday again and what better way to celebrate than to read and write Castle fanfiction? We all know that Castle and Beckett will be fine in the end but this is still going to be a tear-jerking episode so go find a loved one - or a pillow - and crush it to death with your emotion while you read, short fluffy chapters like this. **

**Next up is going to be LittleLizzieZentara so give her a round of applause - and maybe some reviews as well.**

**And as always, you can follow me on twitter at **vatrask

**Enjoy 3**

* * *

They stood there at the steps of the Metropolitan Museum while the world rushed past behind them, staring up at the poster lining the front of the building, the main attraction:

_The Mayan Mummy Returns! This Week Only._

Castle and Beckett slowly looked at each other with matching expressions of disbelief. "It has to be a coincidence" she reasoned but the raised eyebrow and pointed look from her partner told her that she wasn't fooling anyone. Whoever this killer was, there was no doubt that they were targeting Castle and Beckett.

Taking a deep breath, they took a simultaneous step forward, up the steps and through the revolving door of the museum they had been through before. The first place to look was definitely the mummy exhibit so Kate strode to the left, heading through the small clumps of businessmen avoiding work and school fieldtrips, only to be stopped by Castle just feet from the archway entrance. "Wasn't the mummy case right after we worked the case with Maddie?" She furrowed her brow, her eyes darting through old case files in her mind before she stared up at him with eyes that were desperately trying to stay focused on her job.

"Okay, so they're going in chronological order, taking some of the cases we've worked together." She took a breath, letting the words completely sink in before a pounding fear took over her heart "how do they know all of this about us?"

Although her voice had been calm if only a little shaky, Castle heard the concern and fear behind it and he wracked his brain trying to find a comfortable explanation. "Maybe it's just an obsessed fan. We've had those before. And since I started writing the Nikki Heat series we've both been in the media a bit more. Maybe they're just following the cases that way."

Beckett collapsed against the wall with Castle standing right in front of her. She leaned her head back hoping the change in scenery would help. It didn't. "But not all of the cases have been public. And the details that they know. It's like they've been watching us from the beginning." When her partner didn't respond right away, she look down to find him biting back an answer that she was already dreading. "What is it?" He winced "Castle if you've got a theory you have to share it."

He took a shallow breath "maybe…we should look into the possibility that…these two women are part of the NYPD." Of course it had crossed her mind that they could be cops but she still shook her head.

"It doesn't sit right. This doesn't seem like something the police would do. Besides, no one has recognized the girls. There's no record of them anywhere." Her voice grew quiet as she sunk further into the wall "it's like they don't exist."

Without thinking, Castle moved closer to his partner, his hands on her shoulders, rubbing her arms comfortingly. "We'll figure it out okay? We always do." She looked up at his words and smiled , registering a moment too late just how close they were now and how nice it felt to be in his arms – if only for a moment. And he was looking back at her with the small, crinkled smile and those eyes that were staring through her soul and into her gut, settling low in her stomach and making her swallow back the urge to throw her arms around him and kiss him. It came and went over the years but lately, especially with this case and reliving the past, the urge was growing stronger. She had to say something to him, something that would break the ice or get him to kiss her or just _something_. She opened her mouth but jumped when another voice entered the silent conversation.

"Oh there you two are, you're a little late but that's alright, there's plenty of time before the museum closes."

The pair turned towards the mummy exhibit to find a familiar face in the doorway. "Penny?" They echoed.

"In the flesh." The redhead smiled sweetly, presenting herself with a little flick of the wrist. "But now I have to get going. I really just came to make sure you guys got here alright."

Beckett ran straight into cop-mode, by-passing the crazy coincidence that Penny was not long after their case at the museum. "Were you approached by two women telling you to come here?"

"Of course not." She laughed "I had a dream last night - a vision – and in it, we were all here so I thought I'd come and make sure I was right. Which I was."

She hated to do it but Beckett kept going with the notion of Penny's visions "can you tell us anything else?"

Penny scrutinized the detective before nodding and leaning forward ever so slightly, an intense calmness in her eyes "all I can tell you is that the answers you're looking for are in your collective past – something you have together."

Instantly the detective and her writer blushed, thinking of a moment in January when they had shared something more than a love of crime-solving. By the time they had recovered, Penny was smirking and walking down the hallway, out of the museum.

Beckett called to her as she was turning the corner and the psychic turned expectantly, a mischievous glimmer in her eyes "do you remember that other vision you had about me? Back when we" were working your mom's murder, she winced "when we first met?"

Penny's eyes turned sad but her smile was the same "yes."

"You-you were right." Their eyes met and an understanding was reached.

"I know."

Beckett opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to process their entire encounter with Penny but only pieces of it were making sense. When she turned back to Castle he was watching her with a bewildered look on his face and she realized that he had no idea what had just happened between her and the psychic. Instead of answering she smirked and brushed past him, feeling slightly more confident.

"Come on Castle, let's catch a killer."


	11. Chapter 11

**_LittleLizzieZentara_ has come through my darlings with an awesome new chapter for you guys to devour (just don't chew with your mouth open okay?) Next up we'll have SheWhoTangles with Chapter Twelve. Wow. Chapter Twelve, I forget how far we've come with this story. I don't think I thank Zentara and Tangles enough for everything they've done. And you, the reviewers, I can't thank you enough. You are all awesome and get tons of kisses and hugs. **

**Actually as a special bonus to you guys who review this story, I'm going to let you in on a secret. On my blog: madamewriterofwrongs .blogspot .com starting on Wednesday I'm going to be hosting a book giveaway and all you have to do to enter is review. Review anything, a book, a short story - a fan fic - and send me the link (instructions will be on the blog) and you'll be entered to win e-books and gift cards. How awesome is that? So anyways, check that out on wednesday and leave a review here to let Zentara know what you think of her chapter. **

**Enjoy 3**

* * *

Her feet thudding loudly against the cold, wet pavement, Zentara frantically made her way down an unusually deserted side street of some unknown area in Manhattan. Although for Zentara, _any _area of Manhattan was unknown. She knew it didn't bode well that the area was deserted. New York City had around eight million residents, according to one of the episodes; she couldn't remember which one at the moment. So how was it possible that not even _one_ of those residents was at this very moment somewhere in sight?

Zentara had never hated her poor sense of direction more than she did right now. She _had _to find Caskett. They were the only ones who could help her now.

* * *

Beckett glanced at her watch, shocked to realize that she and Castle had been searching the museum for almost three hours without being able to come up with a single clue. They had started with the mummy exhibit, since it had been the focal point of that particular case. After more than twenty minutes of searching, they admitted defeat and moved on to other exhibits.

She didn't know when it had happened, but her arm was linked through his, her head practically against his shoulder. Beckett wasn't sure what tempted her more: moving away to try and break the spell Castle seemed to be able to so easily weave around her or moving closer to give in completely. Either reaction would alert Castle to the affect his proximity had on her.

"Where could it be?" Beckett wondered aloud, trying to get her mind on safer ground. "We've searched everywhere. Except-"

"Don't say it." Castle came to a sudden stop and looked down at Beckett with pleading eyes.

"It's the only place we haven't looked, Castle."

"For a very good reason."

"Castle, that curse wasn't even real."

"You just think that because you don't believe in curses."

Beckett sighed. "No, I think that because most of the things that happened to you were pranks that Ryan, Esposito and I came up with."

"Most, not all."

"Castle, there is _no _mummy's curse."

"Do you really want to take that chance? While working on a case that seems to be all about us?"

Beckett rolled her eyes. "So what, Castle? You think part of the killer's diabolical plan is to use the curse to throw us off his trail?"

Castle gasped his eyes wide. "What if that's it, Beckett?"

Beckett had had enough. It was too late in the day and they had too few leads in the case for her to waste time humoring him. With a quick reminder to herself to not let his touch throw off her focus, she firmly grasped his hand and headed with a determined stride back over to the sarcophagus.

"The ark of the covenant, Mr. Jones?" Beckett said in a perfect German accent once they stood before the decorated mummy's coffin.

"That is so hot." Castle's tone was a deep tone that the detective had never heard before. She bet it was the same tone he used when he-

"But may I point out that when I said that," Castle went on in his regular voice, "things didn't turn out so well?"

Now that his voice was back to normal, Beckett could think clearly again. With an amused twinkle in her eyes, she responded, "I don't know, Castle. There weren't any real dangerous chemicals in that room."

"But not long after that, we got locked in a freezer," Castle was quick to remind her.

As if she would ever forget.

"Which we got out of without even having to deal with frostbite," Beckett pointed out.

"And that was only hours before we stood in front of a bomb," Castle continued.

"Which you dismantled, saving thousands of lives," Beckett countered. She waited, but although his mouth opened and he had a thoughtful look on his face, he couldn't come up with a reply that suited him.

"Fine," he gave in sullenly, "but before we go anywhere, we're making sure to break the curse."

Beckett shook her head before getting a solid grip and sliding open the coffin.

"That's just nasty," Castle said when the mummy was in view, a wrinkled cloth sticking out of one of the empty eye sockets.

Beckett couldn't help but agree. Thankful for the gloves that she wore every time she investigated a crime scene-although this wasn't technically a crime scene, she wasn't taking any chances of contaminating any possible evidence-the detective gingerly grabbed the corner of the cloth and pulled it out of its gruesome hiding place.

Castle snatched the cloth out of her hands and turned it over, a slow smile spreading across his lips.

"What?" Beckett asked, a little irritated at herself for letting Castle grab something from her that way.

"It's from the Burgeropolis," he told her.

Of course it was. She knew the clue would have to relate in some way to one of their cases. It would have just been nice if that case had been skipped over. A man trying to break the woman he loved out of prison was _not _something she wanted to be thinking about. She didn't want to be thinking about love at all.

She couldn't. Not right now.

There was that wall to be taken care of first.

And a murder to solve.

"So how about it, Beckett?" Castle said. "You and me, dinner at the Burgeropolis?"

"Sorry Castle, but it's getting late and I'm," she let out a slow breath, "tired. How about we pick this up in the morning?"

A flash of disappointment crossed his face before Castle nodded.

"Besides, don't you have a curse you need to take care of?" Beckett reminded him. "You may want to even do the ritual more than once, since not only did you see the mummy, but you touched something that was inside it."

Castle shuddered. Then his eyes widened. "So did you!"

"Ahh, but I don't believe in curses, remember?"

"Beckett, please," Castle pleaded. "We don't want to take any chances."

"I don't know, Castle," Beckett said, her eyes teasing. "It seems like a big waste of time to me."

"Please? I..I'll let you drive the Ferrari," he tried to bargain. "Or…I'll stay in the car every time you ask me to."

Beckett arched her eyebrow. "_Every_ time?" she asked skeptically.

Castle nodded vigorously. "For a whole week!"

"I don't want you making promises you can't keep, Castle," Beckett said, her eyes dancing with amusement. "Tell you what. How about this: I will do the ritual, _twice_, to get rid of the curse, _if _we leave right now."

Castle didn't bother to reply, he just took off at a dead run.

Beckett's laugh followed him all the way to the elevators.

* * *

The Metropolitan Museum. By some miracle, Zentara had actually found it. Hopefully, they were still there. She knew there was a high risk that they would end up throwing her in a psych ward once she told them everything. But maybe, just maybe, Castle would believe her.

It was a risk she was just going to have to take.

Except Zentara never made it past the front door.


	12. Chapter 12

**We are back ladies and gentlemen with chapter 12 of Armed and Dangerous brought to you by SheWhoTangles and the makers of stress. It's Christmas times which means a lot is going on in a lot of people's lives - and even if you don't celebrate Christmas (religous or commercial) it's the end of the year which means a lot of changes and such so to everyone out there: hang in there. But do you know what would make an awesome christmas gift? Reviews. I've said this way too often but reviews are like little treats for writers and you have no idea how much it means to open your email and see a review from a reader saying something other than 'thanks'. **

**So please darlings, review and have a great December!**

**Enjoy 3**

* * *

The sound of Kate's key in her apartment door lock barely registered, as did little of her drive home. She was tired out of her mind and functioning strictly on autopilot. The only coherent words in her mind were bathtub, bubbles, and book. She deposited her keys on the counter and her jacket over the back of the dining table chair. She headed into the washroom to begin filling up the tub. Kate betrayed herself by smiling as she swirled a generous amount of bubble bath syrup into the splashing water thinking of a scene from one of Castle's earlier books that randomly popped into her head. What Castle would give to be watching her slip into a bathtub full of bubbles! She had a sneaking suspicion he would have preferred her tiny daydream over the reality of his first bathtub experience with her after running in to save her after her apartment exploded. Usually that event would prompt a desire to take out his jacket from that day—her little souvenir tucked safely in the back of her closet, a reminder that usually comforted her on a rough night like this, but not tonight.

Kate's mood swiftly changed back to the stalemate in the current case. Extracting herself from her perch on the edge of the tub, she absently recapped the bottle and replaced it on the shelf. Her book lay waiting on the tiny tub-side table, and she patted it like a puppy happy to see it ready and waiting for her. Kate let the water do its bubble churning as she headed for a glass of wine, shedding clothes along the way. This case made revisiting past moments with Castle disturbing. Kate didn't care for the robbing of her small moments of contentment any more than someone delving into their personal history together and entwining it into this murder case.

Determined to offer her mind some escape, Kate answered the beckoning of her bubble-filled tub. Slipping beneath the warm caress of fizzing bubbles and hot water, Kate released her Beckett and let her muscles absorb the regenerating embrace of the water. Castle's rakish smiled flashed in her head; his face grinning over a burger and a discussion of _The Forbidden Planet_. Her eyes popped open with a sudden _what-am-I-doing_ realization. Trying to shake the image off, Kate decided to let his words occupy her mind instead of his face and reached for her copy of _Naked Heat_. The water-stained, tattered cover welcomed her hand. The well-thumbed pages had a beautiful ruffled texture that felt as welcoming to Kate as the warm embrace of bathwater had felt. Kate's mind rejoiced for some peace at last. She turned to her marked page prepared to escape further to a place where she at last knew all the answers, but her moment shattered as she looked down. Someone had highlighted words in her book! There were barely any footprints on the floor between her deserted tub to the puddle forming around her feet as she dialed Castle.

"Kate? I thought you were going home?" Castle said to her, picking up on the second ring.

"I did. We don't need to go to Burgeropolis tomorrow for our next clue. I already have it."

"How?"

"I'll show it to you when you get here," she said with a tremor in her voice.

"Beckett, are you okay?" He asked catching the sound in her voice. "Where are you?"

"I'm at my place. I'm fine. I just need to grab a towel, I was in the tub."

"Do you mean to tell me you're talking to me in the…" Castle's voice trailed off trying to create a visual image of Becket on the other end of the phone.

"Yes, Castle." The taunt was too good to pass up. "Let's see how long it takes for you to get here." As frightened as she was, Kate could easily picture him biting his closed fist as she hung up the phone without saying goodbye. She half expected him to materialize at the door in seconds. Shivering, she headed for clothes and a towel to clean up the mess on the floor before he arrived.

Forty minutes later, Kate opened the door dressed in yoga pants and a tank top. Castle was standing there with a mixed expression of concern and disappointment while offering her a towel. Beckett rolled her eyes and turned away from the door. She walked toward the couch, successfully hiding her secret smile and giggle as she walked away from his dazed form still in the doorway. Castle closed the door behind him, very much alert, and followed her to the couch still clutching the towel he brought with him.

Castle offered her the towel again as they sat down on the couch together. Beckett took the towel from him with one of her infamous eyerolls and laid it down on the couch on the other side of her. Then she reached down to the book on the cocktail table in front of her and slid her copy of _Naked Heat_ in front of him. She watched as his faced registered the condition of the book, looking as though it had been read a billion times; but she was grateful he resisted commenting on its well-read condition. Instead of a quip or wise guy comment, his expression turned extremely serious, and the worry on his face couldn't have been hidden even if he tried.

"There are words highlighted where I left off in the book. I didn't do it."

"Kate! Did you call anyone from the precinct?"

"No. The door was locked when I got home. After I hung up with you I checked around carefully and none of the windows were damaged or unlocked, nothing was moved or disturbed that I could see. I didn't even notice the book had been touched until I opened it to read." In the back of his mind somewhere, Castle noted she was reading his book in the tub; but his concern for her safety was more important. If anything happened to Kate…

"Why didn't you call someone? Why did you stay here? Kate, they could have been in here waiting for you!" Alarm escalated his voice, and he immediately reached out his hand to clutch her arm protectively.

"There was no point in contacting CSU, Castle. These are the same people who invaded Melissa Talbot's home. They know we can't find them, which is why they didn't bother to wear gloves or masks at her place. They aren't in the system anywhere. They're ordinary enough to blend in to the population without anyone noticing them. If they had any intention of hurting me, they would have been here when I got home." Beckett paused, her voice easing out of detective mode into something different. "…and I did call someone, Castle. I called you."

Beckett's last sentence caught him off guard. He smiled, dropping his hand from her arm. Their eyes locked with unasked questions on the case, but the air was thick with unspoken feelings and words between them of an entirely different kind. Kate dropped a card with her statement, exposing more to him than she had planned on. It was a slip of the tongue, but she had something to pull his mind back to the moment at hand. Even if it was disturbing news, it was a clue, and they badly needed to figure out what was happening.

"We are at the heart of this case somehow, Castle. We have to figure out what is going on." Castle looked at her. She was scared and so was he. Neither of them needed some crazy stalkers following them around, prying into their professional or personal relationship. They had enough trouble figuring that out on their own.

"Alright, where do we start?" Beckett smiled and handed him the book already opened to her marker and the page where the highlighted words began. Castle skimmed through the book while Beckett returned to the kitchen to pour another glass of wine. "I'll take one of those." Castle said, watching her pour with her back turned to him. Turning around, Beckett smiled at him, a second glass already poured in her hand. As Castle examined the altered pages, Kate set both glasses on the table, sitting down dangerously close to him, and looking over his shoulder. As Castle examined the words in hopes of finding some hidden meaning, he was painfully aware at how wonderful Kate smelled as she leaned over him… _like cherries_.

Beckett suddenly spoke, startling him. "Let's make a list of the words." Grabbing a pen and paper, they continued to sit close as they started listing the selected words from the beginning. _Triple, Advantageous, Killers, Later, Hotel, Heat, Memories, Appreciate, Pool, Rook, Closer, Kiss, Fire, Never, Too Late, Priest, Love, Don't, Trust, Magazine, Read, Rain. _Halfway through their next glass of wine and numerous theories, Castle picked the book back up in frustration looking for an answer on the pages.

"The words don't make any sense. They just seem to be selected at random."

"We're missing something." Beckett ran her hand through her hair, leaning against Castle's arm and peering over it at the book, just as both of them noticed something strange.

"They used two different yellow highlighters!" Castle and Beckett exchanged their 'we did it at the same' smiles, but with their close proximity-their moment of unison felt far more intimate than before. Beckett blamed her urge to lean into Castle and kiss him on the wine. But Castle had his teeth in the clue now, and he severed the moment by reaching across to the writing pad and grabbing her pen. Sharing the book between them, Castle circled the darker yellow words in the book. Beckett read the edited word selection, wondering if Castle could hear her heartbeat pounding away wildly in her chest.

"Advantageous, Later, Heat, Appreciate, Kiss, Fire, Priest, Magazine, Rain. They don't make any sense." Castle closed and rubbed his eyes, listening to Kate read the words. His fatigue, the wine, and the scent and proximity of Beckett was getting to him, making it hard to think.

"What do we have left over that isn't circled?" He asked. When Beckett didn't answer, Castle looked at her to repeat his question thinking she might not have heard him. But she had, and the expression on her face was laced in sadness and concern for him this time.

"Triple. Killer. Hotel. Pool." Kate stopped reading. "The Triple Killer case was shortly after we met Penny the first time." Beckett paused not really wanting to state the obvious, but she had to. "Not only are they including cases we've worked on. They are going in the order they occurred. You were right."

"I know." There was no gloating about being right. The Triple Killer case was one that haunted Rick. Kate remembered holding his hand outside after they had found him and Ryan. Kate remembered thinking that Rick had been… she couldn't even finish the thought. For the first time that evening, Castle looked thoroughly exhausted to her, and Kate realized she felt the same. She looked at the clock and couldn't resist a gasp over the hour.

"Look at what time it is! We can't go there now, Castle. We need to get some sleep. What don't you sleep on the couch." Castle looked at her with a raised eyebrow and the whisper of a grin.

"Beckett, are you inviting me to stay the night?" Kate chose to ignore his amusement and spoke carefully to keep her voice casual.

"You're too tired to drive home now. We can get an early start checking out the hotel first thing in the morning." Castle's mischievous grin gave her all the forewarning she needed before he spoke, planning her retort for his suggestion before the words left his lips.

"Why can't we just share your big, comfy bed? Afraid you won't be able to keep your hands to yourself, Beckett?" He teased.

"I assure you, Castle. It's not my hands I'm worried about." Beckett closed her bedroom door behind her without looking back, with Rick's comforting chuckle following her in for the night.

Castle called Martha to let her know he would be spending the night at Beckett's _on_ _the_ _couch_ and to let her know that everything was okay. He didn't want Martha up worrying all night. He double checked that the doors and windows were firmly fastened before turning in for the evening. Castle returned to the couch, noting for the first time that a pillow and blanket were sitting neatly at the end already waiting for him. She wanted him to stay night with her. He tossed a smile at the closed door, happy Kate felt safe with him around and that she trusted him when she needed help. If only she could trust in him for something else…


	13. Chapter 13

**Oh man I am beyond late with this update so I am so sorry, my followers. This is my chapter for Armed and Dangerous which means hat LittleLizzieZentara will be next and I know she'll be better timeline-wise.**

**But while I've got you here, I have a new series called 'Undercover Lovers' which you can find in my proile (or on my blog) that I'll be updating every single week. **

**Please review. I can't say this often enough. Hell, I've ranted about it often enough but I feel like people aren't understanding just how important reviews are to a writer.**

**As always you can follow me on twitter **vatrask** or on my blog: **madamewriterofwrongs (.blgogspot) .com

**Enjoy **

* * *

Esposito looked up as the elevator chimed, again. Beckett was late; she was never late unless something was wrong. Still neither he nor Ryan was willing to call her until there was really cause to worry. "I'm sure she's just caught in traffic or something." His partner tried to assure him even as he glanced up with the elevator's ding.

"Yeah I'm sure. But it's almost nine and if she was running late she would have called." The elevator on the other end of the precinct announced a presence and they looked up to watch Castle and Beckett stepping off the car with matching coffee cups in hand and smiles to go along with them.

"Morning, boys." Her tone was light but serious and solid. They echoed the greeting, exchanging knowing glances that a blind man would have seen. "What?" She stopped at their desks, Castle falling at her side, equally as confused.

"Nothing it's just, you two look very _domestic_ this morning." Ryan placed the tip of his pen to his tongue and signed yet another document for some court document that he really wasn't paying attention to.

"What the coffee?" Castle lifted his cup. "I always get Beckett coffee in the morning."

"That's not what he means." Esposito smirked at their confused expression – almost identical – and looked them up and down. The duo followed his line of sight, appraising their choice of outfit this morning. His standard black dress pants and shirt perfectly matched her purple Burberry top – one that had quickly become a favourite of hers for the way Castle eyed her in it. She hadn't even thought about her wardrobe choice when she was dressing this morning and clearly neither had he when they stopped at his loft.

"Well, uh, wha-um, you see…" Ryan and Esposito were so close to losing their composure and bursting into laughter at Castle's stuttering until Beckett rolled her eyes and it was back to business.

"Someone broke into my apartment last night." Esposito raised a scrutinizing eyebrow at her. "It's the truth."

"Well then why didn't you report it?"

She sighed, stepping over to her own desk while her boys waited patiently and Castle followed. "Thing is, I know who broke into my apartment. I know what they did while they were in my apartment and I know that there won't be any fingerprints and if there are, they won't be in the system – that's just how these guys work – what I want to know is how the hell they got _into_ my apartment." They watched her run a hand through her hair even as her cell phone chimed with a new text message. "Lanie has something for us." She informed her partner. "I need you guys to talk to my landlord – we didn't get a chance to do it when we left this morning – find out if he saw anything or if there's some back way into the building. And maybe take a look at the security footage; Mr. Grimes is usually pretty good about helping us out when we need him."

"What was Castle doing at your apartment?" Ryan bit his cheek at the panicked look the pair of them carried when they perked p and then quickly looked around to make sure no one had heard him.

"What do you mean?"

"I _mean_, you said when 'we' left this morning. What was Castle doing at your apartment?"

As with most things, Castle turned to Beckett for an explanation but she really just wasn't in the mood to justify her actions so  
she grabbed up her coffee cup and headed towards the elevator, assuming that Castle would follow her. "We have to go see what Lanie wants. Let me know if you find anything out."

Ryan and Esposito exchanged amused looks.

"I have been up to my elbows in dead bodies these last two weeks so I missed it in my preliminary examination." Lanie explained as she led the duo through to a back room. "Your Jane Doe has a temporary tattoo on the underside of her arm." She lifted the girl's right arm in demonstration. "It's partially rubbed off but I got the words 'Casket' and 'Ship' out of the smudge." She passed her friend a photograph of the tattoo knowing Beckett's shadow would be right there to peek over her shoulder.

Of course Castle was hanging over his muse's shoulder, partially to observe the photo and mostly to inhale her new shampoo – or body wash or perfume or whatever it was that gave that that sweet, dark smell. Lanie caught it and shook her head, crossing her arms.

"Well?" She looked pointedly at the writer.

"What?"

"What crazy theory do you have?"

Castle narrowed his eyes at her teasing but already his mind was working up a story. His eyes widened. "What if she's a foreign agent and that's why we've been unable to I.D. her body? She could have been working on some body transport ship and left us a clue to start with?"

Beckett pursed her lips, obviously disturbed. "I don't know about that last part but the part about her being foreign is actually" she swallowed "legitimate." Back to business "we should reach out to Interpol and see if they know anything on their end or"

"Hold it guys." Lanie stepped in. "I hate to burst your bubble but 'Caskett' is spelt with two t's." She pointed it out on the photo. They all fell silent for a moment, the cogs turning and spinning out an explanation. Castle and Beckett both jumped (though later, neither would admit to that fact) when Lanie released a burst of laughter. "No, I was just thinking." She explained "Caskett is your perfect shipper name." Beckett narrowed her eyes at her friend even as she blushed "what? Javi and I can't be the only ones to get a shipper name. He told me all about it when you were working that case on the Temptation Lane set."

Despite herself, Beckett smiled, thinking out loud "you know it is kind of perfect for us; it's both morbid and romantic."

He hadn't stuttered this much because of a girl since the eighth grade when he tried to ask Amy Fanning to the school dance. "Um, wha-uh…can-can we use a shipper name if we-we're not really a couple yet?"

She crinkled her nose in that ridiculously adorable way that he loved to distraction. Then her eyes softened and he swore she was asking him a silent question that he couldn't quite decipher. But just as quickly the look was gone, replaced with the ever-loved detective look. "Do you think we should look into the soap opera case?"

"I think" he took a deep breath. He really had to get a hold of himself "I think that someone went to a great deal of trouble to leave that clue in your apartment and we should follow that lead."

Her expression was gentle and smiling, almost like she was proud of him. What was with her today? She had been smiling at him all morning as they went about their various activities and she was constantly brushing against him when she found the opportunity. He wasn't complaining – he would be a fool to – but he just hadn't expected it, any of it. This case must be getting to her; he knew it was getting to him.

"You didn't say anything about a clue when you talked with the boys this morning." Beckett raised an eyebrow at her friend and Castle watched their silent exchange briefly before Lanie caved. "Esposito texted me the moment you guys left." She smiled "I'm really glad you're alright though I should warn you: we _will_ be talking about what happened between the two of you last night – and maybe even this morning." Castle blushed though the rational voice in his head told him there was no reason to; nothing had happened last night – but he wanted it to, another voice told him.

But Beckett was already out the door, thanking Lanie over her shoulder. "Don't think you're getting out of this, Kate Beckett." The medical examiner called even as the doors closed behind her friend. Lanie sunk into her hip with an amused expression.


	14. Chapter 14

******LittleLizzieZentara: It was completely my fault this time, guys. I am SOOOOO sorry. My muse has not been cooperating a bit, and dealing with different illnesses hasn't helped. Even though I told myself I couldn't write anything else until I got this chapter done (and I haven't) it still has been an insanely long time between updates. But as Celeste J Evans says, this is our baby, and we won't be abandoning it. We do know where this story is going, thanks to the awesome plot outline Celeste created for us to follow.**

**Celeste: I want to thank all of you for sticking around through our sporadic writing schedule. After last night's episode hopefully you can pass on the good vibes and review? Also, I know it's been a while so it might be a good idea to just go back and reread a chapter of two just as a refresher. Remember JJ? Zentara? Celeste?**

**Look for SheWhoTangle's Chapter coming up soon.**

**As always you can follow me on twitter **vatrask** or on my blog: **madamewriterofwrongs (.blgogspot) .com

**Enjoy **

* * *

The clang of the gate as it swung shut felt ominous to Beckett as she made her way to the hotel, Castle at her side. It made her wonder how he must be feeling. She really wished this case had been overlooked. He hadn't spoken about the case since, but Beckett knew that Castle was still haunted by the events of those harrowing days. Especially now that they were mere yards away from where Jerry Tyson, the 3XK, had taunted him with such calculating cruelty.

Beckett didn't realize what she had done until she felt Castle's hand in hers. Physical contact was something she tended to keep to a minimum for her own peace of mind. But now it just felt right. She wasn't ready for them to dive into things together, but this didn't have to be anything more than one friend lending support to another during a difficult situation.

Even if it kind of was.

The only outward sign that Castle gave to his inner turmoil was tightening his grip a couple seconds after his hand was firmly grasped in hers. He wouldn't even look at her.

It hurt. Not because she felt slighted, but because she knew how vivid those memories must be. It was why killers often returned to the scene of their crimes and why the victims and their families tended to stay as far away from the crime scene as possible. Unless the family member of the victim was Beckett herself, seeking answers that eluded her year after year.

But her mother's case wasn't her focus right now. It was this case that in many ways seemed more bizarre than any they had previously dealt with. And helping Castle through what she was sure, for him, was going to be the most difficult aspect of it.

"I was terrified I was going to lose you," Beckett found herself admitting to him. The startled look he threw her reminded her that she had broken one of their most important unspoken rules: Feelings for each other was the number one thing they never talked about. It was the first rule of many that she had created once she realized her feelings were deepening for her partner. "And Ryan," she was quick to add. "The 3XK wasn't known for letting anyone live."

When he winced Beckett realized that her attempt to comfort him had backfired. Sharing her feelings with Castle was such a rare thing that Beckett suddenly realized that when she started she didn't always know when to stop. She could think of several instances where she had stopped much too soon. In this instance she hadn't stopped soon enough.

She had to fix this. Her worry about Castle was making it difficult to focus on anything else. "Castle, I-"

"Hey, what's that?"

Castle's abrupt shift from melancholy to eager curiosity threw Beckett for a second. Before she had time to ask, 'What's what?' she spotted it: a woman was floating face-down in the clear, blue water of the hotel pool.

Beckett was certain they were going to find their mysterious killer's second victim. She rushed forward with Castle only slightly ahead of her. Without taking time to even kick off his shoes, Castle dove into the pool. When he reached the edge of the pool with the woman securely in his arms Beckett grabbed hold of the prone woman's shoulders. With Castle's help it only took a couple seconds to set the woman down on the wet tile. Beckett was relieved when she felt a steady pulse and saw that the woman was still breathing.

When the woman started coughing and spitting up water Beckett moved to help her sit up. The coughing lasted for a few long minutes. Finally the woman opened her eyes, which quickly widened when they landed on Castle.

"It's really you," she rasped.

It wasn't unusual for them to meet a fan when they were working a case but something told Beckett this was different.

"Always happy to meet a fan, although I wish it was under better circumstances," Castle replied, turning on the charm that was second nature to him when dealing with the public. "And you are?"

"Zentara." The voice was still raspy but getting clearer. "Zentara Jones." Zentara continued to stare at Castle as if she couldn't believe he was real. It was getting on Beckett's nerves.

"Can you tell us who did this to you?" the detective asked, deciding to immediately get down to business. Who knew how long the fawning over Castle would last if she didn't intervene.

Zentara turned her head and her eyes grew even wider. "You're here. You're really here. Well, of course you're here if Castle's here but-"

A Nikki Heat fan, then. If the woman called her by her alter-ego's name Beckett wasn't sure what she would do. She just knew it wouldn't be pleasant.

"Ms. Jones, we have reason to believe that whoever did this," Beckett gestured to the pool, "is involved in a homicide that occurred two days ago. Is there anything you can tell us about the person who attacked you?"

Zentara nodded, shook her head, and then nodded again.

"You can tell us," Castle assured her. "Detective Beckett will make sure you're safe."

"Oh, I know," Zentara said her voice finally clear of the raspiness caused by swallowing a bunch of water. "It's just-"

"We can't help you if you won't tell us what you know," Beckett said.

The woman let out a small giggle, which made no sense to Beckett.

"Would you care to share the joke?" Beckett asked.

"You would never believe me," Zentara said. "He might, but-" Zentara shook her head. "No, probably not." The woman sighed deeply. "We met on a Castle fan site. We call her Celeste, but I doubt that's her real name."

"We?" Beckett pressed.

"JJ and I," Zentara clarified.

"JJ, but that's…" Castle's tone was shocked.

"I know." Zentara's expression was pleading as she continued. "I didn't know, I swear I didn't. I thought we were helping."

"You're the one who left the clues, weren't you?" Castle realized.

Zentara nodded. "It was Celeste's idea. I just wanted to tell you what we knew but she said you wouldn't believe us anyway and we would just become suspects."

"But something happened," Beckett guessed.

"She was fine until Maddie started in," Zentara said.

"Started in?" Castle asked, confused.

Zentara glanced uncertainly at Beckett. After a brief hesitation Beckett decided to give him an answer that would explain what the woman meant without revealing too much. "She wanted to know if we were dating. I told her we weren't."

"But why would she be upset by that?" Castle wanted to know.

"It didn't make sense to me at first," Zentara said. "But then Celeste kept muttering stuff about people just leaving you alone, that you were the only ones who would know when the time was right."

Beckett didn't have to ask 'for what?' And considering the small smile on his face, she was sure Castle didn't, either. "And then what happened?"

"That's when I remembered."

"Remembered what?"

"JJ and Celeste arguing. I wasn't paying too much attention because they both have really strong opinions about things, especially Celeste. But JJ was talking about wanting to do what we could to get you two together and she told her to leave it alone. JJ started listing off all of the information when Celeste said that she was hungry and so I offered to go get snacks. I was gone for maybe fifteen minutes when Celeste ran out of the room and told me that someone had pushed JJ off the balcony."

"You're saying you were both with her within minutes of her death," Beckett said. "And your friend Celeste was the last one to see her alive."

"It wasn't until Celeste got all irritated about Maddie and I remembered the argument that I realized that the only 'leads' the cops had were the clues we left. That wasn't normal. There are usually a whole bunch of suspects before you find the real killer, right?" Zentara didn't wait for an answer, or even pause for a breath. "But this time _we _were your only suspects. And I knew _I _didn't do it. So it _had _to be her. I snuck away as soon as I could and tried to find you. But she found me first. I can't believe she didn't stay to make sure I didn't make it."

"She probably heard us and took off," Castle theorized.

"Probably," Beckett agreed. "We're going to need you to come down to the station. You can describe her to a sketch artist and we can send the picture out."

"I'm not really good at that type of thing," Zentara admitted. "I hardly even noticed what she was wearing. It would probably be faster to just follow her clues."

"Except we don't have any more clues," Beckett pointed out.

Zentara took a careful look around before turning an empathetic gaze to Castle. "This is where the 3XK held you and Ryan, isn't it?"

"How do you know about that?"

Zentara didn't answer the detective but just waited quietly for Castle's reply. His 'Yes," was so quiet both women barely heard him. But it was enough for Zentara.

"Then I know exactly where we need to go next. The Old Haunt."

Beckett wanted to question the woman further on how she knew things that only the NYPD, and Castle, were privy to. Unfortunately, interrogating her would take more time than they could afford to lose. Zentara knew far more than she would admit to. Beckett wondered whether she was the killer, rather than her friend. But the detective wouldn't let the woman out of her sight, so she wasn't risking anything by following her suggestion. And if Zentara was telling the truth, Beckett didn't want to let the killer get away because of a hunch.

The three remained silent as they headed to the car. Zentara meekly got into the back seat and turned to look out the window. Since it was too dark for her to see much of anything, Beckett assumed she was just lost in her thoughts.

And now she was worried about Castle again. The other woman's mention of the 3XK had returned that troubled look to Castle's eyes. Which also reminded Beckett of how scared she had been that she was going to lose him.

"I was scared, too," Castle unexpectedly said after he had gotten into the car. How did he do that, know what she was thinking without her saying a word? "But I'm here now."

Beckett gave his hand a brief squeeze and allowed herself a quick glance into those impossibly blue eyes. "You're here now," she repeated softly. Now more than ever she needed to have her focus on the case so she slipped her hand from his and started the Crown Victoria.

In the back seat Zentara sat, shivering even with a thick blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

She was smiling.


End file.
